Monday, August 24, 2015

Rainy Monday here in TN‏

Sounds like everything was fun
on the vacation! And i am glad yall made it back home safe, thanks for
all the great pics and everything :) i am excited for next year!

This week was GREAT!! it was a weird week, but at the same time, it was incredible! First off,

MARI
AND ENRIQUE GOT BAPTIZED!!! yahoo. it was a little bit stressful
getting them all ready for the baptism, but it was incredible. Monday
night we were a little stressed because we knew we had to teach them a
few of the commandments, like the word of wisdom, and we didn't know if
they had any problems with it or not, BUT it is really truly amazing to
see how the Lord truly is preparing his children to receive the restored
gospel. It was a really cool experience because as we were about to
teach them the word of wisdom i had all these doubts and everything come
into my head, but as we taught them and asked them questions, we found
out that they live the word of wisdom PERFECTLY. in that moment, i heard
a little voice in my head tell me, "i told you they were prepared." I
was definitely called to repentance in that moment for sure! learning to
have more faith and not to doubt, but i am so grateful that i am able
to work with this incredible family! and that i was able to be here in
Hermitage and be apart of their conversion to the true church of Jesus
Christ! So to say the least, it was a great day when they got baptized!
and guess who came? Hermana Torres! it was so great to see her :)

Also
this week we did a really fun service project with some members of the
bishopric and stuff. one of the recent converts here lives kind of out
in the country and has a ton of land, and her husband has been gone away
for business for a while now, and her lawn was like a literally a
forest! so we went and mowed it and cleaned it all up for her. it was so
much fun! we had like 6 lawn mowers and everything it was great! and
the first time i had ever mowed a lawn! so that was fun, but i can
definitely say that my back has kind of been sore since then ;) haha it
was fun because we actually had a few investigators come help and even a
non member (who will soon be our new investigator :)) come help us too!
i love service, the best part was that the family didn't even know we
were coming, and so they just woke up to a ton of lawn mowers going off.
it was a fun surprise!

This week we also went
on another exchange with some sisters. I stayed here in hermitage and
sister mcbride came up here with me. it was so much fun! Sister mcbride
is from orem, and a super hard working missionary. she has been out for
about 5 months, but really truly has the desire to share the gospel with
everyone. We had a really cool experience when we were knocking doors
together. we knocked on this door and we met an older hispanic lady,
Rosie. She was so cute and inviting. we talked to her for a little
while. she actually lives in mexico city and only comes here about every
4 months to work and then she goes back to mexico. i asked her if she
had ever talked to or seen the missionaries in mexico before, and she
said yes! she said that they always come and help her when she needs
things or help around the house. We started to talk about the church,
and then she started to cry, she said that she has been a widow for
about 5 years now and that she feels so alone all the time. We talked
about the restoration and the plan of salvation with her and testified
that heavenly father has a plan of all of us, and he wants all of us to
find happiness in our lives. She was so sweet. She was leaving back for
mexico like 2 days later, so we gave her our number for when she comes
back for work, and the information to have missionaries come to her own
house when she goes back to mexico. I am so grateful for this
opportunity i had to meet her, and give her a message about hope and
peace! I know that heavenly father is aware of her and that there is not
a coincidence in the world that we knocked on her door that day. I know
that she will find the peace the gospel brings sooner than later in her
life :) Its moments like this i am so happy and grateful that i am a
missionary!

Also this week we had a way super
fun activity! All the wards that meet in our building got together and
we had a big "Meet the Mormon's" movie night and potluck dinner! It was
so much fun! They gym was all set up and had a huge projector screen and
twinkly lights and everything. it was so cool. We were able to set up
another tv in the relief society room to watch in spanish too. it was so
fun! we had 2 investigators come and 2 non members! and yesterday we
were able to have a lesson with one of the non members that came too!
it was so cool and it just reminded me of how truly grateful i am to be
apart of the Saviors church ! :) by the end of the movie there wasn't a
dry eye. it was so great and the spirit was so strong :)

Overall
it was a GREAT week!! I am so happy to be a missionary and to be doing
the work of the Lord. In my studies today I was reading about the
gathering of Israel, and i read a really cool quote by President
Hinckley. basically, he said how blessed we are to be living on the
earth at this time. and how we were chosen to be apart of the
restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, how we are living in the time
that was prophesied of being "a marvelous work and a wonder among the
children of men" How cool!! What a great opportunity to do the work of
the Lord, but also what a great responsibility :) I hope yall will be
able to think of things yall can do to remember that you are apart of
this marvelous work and a wonder!

Anyway, I
hope yall have a great week! I love yall so much! thanks for all your
love and support you give me, i couldn't do this without yall!